Angel and the Bad man
by Manufactured-triumph
Summary: Behold, a legend few know or speak, of the line of Palpatine. Rey is a powerful and balanced Jedi, this is the legend of how she came to ster Fay (from comics) was the purest of the Jedi. She moved only as the Force commanded. She was light. Palpatine bent the Force to his own will. He was Dark. Together, legends says, they created balance.
1. Yin meets Yang

Hello, long time no see. I don't own Star Wars, obviously and I am making no money. Welcome to my story about who I think Rey's grandmother is. Hope you enjoy. Master Fay is a Jedi from comic canon, and I don't own her either (But I don't think anyone really does).

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Palpatine wasn't sure whether his master had set him up to fail and die, or if the force had not given up it's secrets. Which ever it was didn't seem to matter now though, as all the future glory he had foreseen was fading in the burn his ship was making across an unknown planet in the desolate rim.

He had been tasked with bartering for a Sith artifact from pirates on the outermost part of the rim. A simple enough task, had the pirates not betrayed him at the last moment, poisoning him through the artefact. He managed to kill many of them to get to his ship, but they had been prepared for that contingency too, firing on his engines before he could make the jump to lightspeed.

Now, he was alone with not even a droid, plummeting in a ball of fire and trying to stay conscious from the potent poison that was spreading with every beat of his heart. He could sense the pirates following him. They wanted to make sure he was dead. That made him believe that Plagueis was behind this assasination and it angered him that he did not think he would live to have his revenge.

The young Sith was trying everything he knew to regain ship control, fighting his body's desire to close his eyes and submit to the poison. He teetered on believing that all hope was lost, when he felt his ship lurch as if caught in a tractor beam. It seemed that the pirates had caught him.

Pushing himself out of the pilot's seat he stood and with as much dignity as he could muster he straightened his clothes and began walking toward the door. He would be there to meet them when he landed, and even though every muscle in his body burned with poison, he would kill as many as possible before his heart stopped.

Feeling that his ship was about to touch ground, he opened the door ready to strike, but stopped dead as what he saw did not match what he expected. Before him stood a solitary Jedi woman, a lithe blond who looked no more than twenty, standing straight with her hand out and eyes closed. The wave of Force he felt radiating from her nearly brought him to his knees. She had plucked his ship from the sky and was now carefully guiding the ship to a gentle landing. The pure unadulterated power made the Sith salivate with desire, even in his weakened condition.

The ship touched down on the grassy field as if it was a feather, and her eyes opened. He clutched the door arch, and his stomach, but did not move his gaze from her. As welcome as the rescue was, he was not yet sure if this was truly a rescue, or she had been sent to finish him off.

She approached him slowly, "Young man," she said calling out to him, "You are ill, I am here to help you."

As sick as he was he snorted at her calling him a young man. She looked to be a chit of a girl, and he was a middle aged senator. Perhaps she was strong with the Force, but slow with the mind. He saw her hold out her hand to him, "Come, time is short. If the poison within you is not dealt with now it will take hold in your body and I won't be able to heal you."

Palpatine realized he had very little to lose at this point not to take her hand, and the goodness and purity that radiated from her in waves made him believe she was not going to kill him. He reached out and took her hand. Almost instantly he felt peace, and the pain went away, even if the sickness did not. "What are you doing to me?" He said struggling to speak.

She smiled, her silver eyes flashing with compassion, "Just loaning some of my strength to you, so we can make it back to my home."

It was then that the pirates who had been following him landed and they poured out of their ships like a swarm of bugs. There was a beat, and the crowd parted for a bald Umbaran man their leader. He stepped forward and his pale white eyes widened. "M-M-aster Fay." he choked out, and took a knee before her, prompting the rest of the brutes to do the same, "F-forgive usssssss." He put his forehead to the ground, "We did not know the Senator was of interest to you."

Fay tsked her teeth, "All life is of interest to me, M'Bara. Is there an antidote to this evil you put in him?" her voice was firm, but almost musical.

When the pirate sheepishly shook his head no, Palpatine turned his attention to the woman now holding him up. What he saw next caused his manhood to become erect.

"I want you all to think about what you have done." She said chastising them as a mother might a brood of children. With a wave of her hand each pirate began to weep, at first softly and some then crumbled into ugly sobs. "For penance, you will aid the orphanage with food and clothes in ka'la'ree city. When you've finished thinking about what you've done, you will go and I had better not see you again until the orphans are fat with plenty."

Through sobbing tears the Umbaran said he would and sobbed out thanks. As she passed by him, holding Palpatine up in her other arm, the Sith saw the Pirate kiss the hem of her robe.

Once they were well away from the pirates Palpatine spoke, "What did you do to them? Was that Jedi mind trick?"

She cast a soft look on him, "No, nothing so crude. All I did was hold a mirror up to their lives for them, to allow them to see the pain and misery their actions cause. I gave them the power to change their lives."

"I have known many Jedi, but nothing I have seen compares to that." Palpatine looked at her, contemplating what had transpired. To the uninitiated in the Force that would have been impressive, to him who was a Sith he knew the power such an action would have required. She wielded it as if it were nothing.

Near her hut his strength gave out, and Fay carried him the rest of the way. In a way, he was grateful his muscles failed him. It gave relief to the painful desire in his trousers. He felt her place him on a soft bed, and then placed her hand on his forehead. He hoped this natural camouflage of his force abilities was enough to keep her from knowing what he was. His master never knew until he saw it for himself so with all luck she would not either.

Palpatine watched as she closed her eyes scanning his body through her hand. He could feel the lightside licking at him, it was equal measures of painful and erotic. It was almost as if he could feel the Force itself desire him through her hand. When she removed her hand she smiled down at him, "The Force is good to us this day, young man. I have on my stove exactly what you will need to expel your poison. I put it on last night, as the Force guided." She bent and kissed his forehead, brushing back his gray and white hair, "You will recover."

He nodded, "Thank you."

She turned and opened a small chest filled with a few garments and books. She pulled a large white robe from it's depths, "Are you strong enough to remove your clothes?"

"I may need help." He replied, playing weaker than he really was.

"Very well." She said smiling, "First I will give you a dose of cure, Young man. Your body will sweat the poison out. I am afraid it won't be a pleasant experience. You will not feel well for many days, but you will live." Fay laid the robe at the foot of the bed and gathered a spoon full of the liquid that simmered on her earthen stove. Kneeling by the bed she carefully blew on it to cool it down for him before holding it to him to take.

Palpatine did, it was a bitter and warm concoction, "You keep calling me young man." He said handing her spoon back to him. "Forgive me for saying, but you look like a slip of a girl."

Fay laughed, replacing the spoon in the pot, "Looks are deceiving," she said turning her attention back to him. She began helping him unbutton his regal looking overcoat, "You are of royal or political high standing aren't you?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Did the Force tell you that?"

"No, your clothes did. Only such people wear such impractical clothing as a sign of status."

Palpatine chuckled, in truth he understood what she meant. Had he had his way, the simple but elegant robes of the Sith would do for him, but wearing the mask of a normal senator from Naboo he, for now, had to look like the preening peacock he pretended to be. "I am the senator of my planet, Naboo. My name is Sheev." He had stopped using that name years ago, but something kept him from saying anything else.

"Ah yes, Naboo. A beautiful planet, but your people do tend to dress in complicated fashions."

He watched her as she helped him undress, any time her bare flesh touched his he could feel the pure light Force lick at his body. He knew she had to feel it, and yet her perfect face gave nothing away. When he was bare chested she gathered the robe from the bed and helped slide it over his head. "Your modesty will be protected." She said, indicating that she would not see anything of his lower regions with his robe in place.

"For that I am thankful, Master Jedi, I am afraid this poison would not allow me to make a good showing."

Fay stopped removing his boot, and a deep red color washed over her pale face, chuckling she shook her head, "You are a cheeky young man, Sheev."

"And your innocent shyness is endearing." he replied, "I have introduced myself, what may I call you?"

"I am Fay." She replied carefully folding his clothes and placing them on a small stucco shelf.

"Not Master Fay, just Fay?"

"I am a Jedi Master, but I am just Fay." Now that he was covered and undressed she knelt at his side, taking his hand in hers. He felt her lending her strength to him, and the underlying power he felt behind this gentle show of support made him want to growl in delight.

"No titles for you?" He said focusing on any pain he could as a distraction from her power.

"If you must, but I find it unnecessary." She stroked his forehead with her free hand, "I can put you to sleep if you become too uncomfortable, Sheev. You need not suffer."

"And miss even a moment with you? I think not." he turned his head to face her, "You are an intoxicating woman, I think that will be balm enough for my pain."

"Do you flirt with all women like this?" She asked, preparing another spoon of medicine.

"Only ones who blush in such a demure way, as they save my life." He took his medicine again, giving her a wink. It was his second nature to be charming, his plans of domination depended on this kind of cunning.

"And here you said your sickness would not let you make a good show of yourself." She teased.

"M'lady, you should experience me at my strongest." he said in a purr. A moment later his stomach cramped hard and began to sweat as she had warned. He could physically feel the compassion Fay had for him as he appeared to begin to suffer. She was like no jedi he had ever encountered.

"Are you ok?" she asked dabbing away the sweat from his face with the sleeve of her tunic.

Palpatine nodded, "Just keep talking with me, it will help distract from this." He swallowed thickly, "Why have I not seen you on Coruscant?"

"I haven't been there in many, many, years. The Force has not guided me to the core for a long time."

"Do you only do what the Force wants? Don't you ever do what you want?"

"What the Force wants and what I want are the same.' She replied softly wiping away his sick smelling sweat with her robe.

He gave a pained smile, "Then how do I get the Force to want you to return with me at my side?"

Fay chuckled, the joy touched her whole body and filled the room that it even caused his pain to lessen. "You are a cad," she teased, "I can only imagine how many women have fallen for your charms."

He shrugged, "I do like to brag, normally, but will say none so formidable as you."

"Your tongue must be made of pure silver." She said with a chuckle moving to pour him a cup of water.

"Are you tempted?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Not at all." She said helping him to sit up and accept several sips of cool water.

"Then it is not silver enough." He gulped it down and sighed, "As I don't like to admit defeat, I will chalk this up to my being ill."

"Then we shall." she said giving him the most loving gaze he had ever seen, "Though," she said pausing, "I have to ask something."

"You have me at your mercy, Master Fay, a position I don't often find myself in...if I were you I would use it to my full advantage, so please, I beg you interrogate me and demand what you will." His lips curled into a smirk.

She considered him for a moment, "I do not feel that you are...force sensitive, but...when I touch you it is as if the Force," she paused again searching for the right words, "pines for you."

"I don't see the question," He said smoothly, and decided to go for a distraction, "But I think it answers a question."

Fay seemed to be almost in a trance for a moment and then blinked, "What question would that be?"

"Well, it follows logically, if you feel the Force pining for me, that it is trying to tell you something and I know what that is." He said with a confident smirk.

She tilted her head, and her blonde hair shifted exposing her elegantly pointed ear, "Which is?" she asked seriously.

"That you should pine for me." he stated in a matter of fact tone. "I think that is obvious."

Her eyes narrowed playfully, "You don't have an off switch to that politicians swagger do you?"

"Only death will silence my relentless pursuit of what I want." he replied with an almost campy seriousness. He was fatiguing though, and started to struggle to maintain focus.

She sighed, tucking him in, and taking off her top robe to keep him warmer, "For now, rest, young man. We can pick up these antics in the morning, when you may be stronger."

He took her hand, in a slight show of theatrics, "You will be with me?"

"I will not leave your side." she said lifting his hand to gently kiss his knuckles.


	2. Life and death

Palpatine woke, but kept his eyes closed. He sensed she was near, smelled cooking on the fire. He felt clean and warm, yet knew he was not at full strength. When he felt her near him he opened his eyes. "I lived." he said, his voice unexpectedly hoarse.

"I am glad to say you did. It was a rough two rotations though." she said placing her hand on his forehead and closing her eyes.

"I was...I've been out for two days?" The surprise in his voice was not fake.

"Yes," She replied gently, "But you are well now, albeit probably fairly weak."You've suffered no permanent damage." Fay said leaning back, offering him an arm to help him sit up.

Palpatine took her arm, and as she predicted he felt weak. "Have you been up all this time?" He asked, making eye contact with her, doing his own appraisal of her status. She looked strong and focused, no worse for any wear his care might have taken. Impressive.

"More or less," Fay replied with a chuckle, "Are you hungry? The locals brought me some small game from their hunt. I prepared a stew with it to help you regain your strength."

He nodded, "I'm starving, though I am sorry to have been such an imposition these past days. I feel so guilty." he gave her his most charming smile.

Fay moved off the bed and went to her stew pot, "A life is worth a couple of hours inconvenience, Sheev. As a senator, I would hope you'd feel the same."

His eyebrows raised in amusement, "Touche, my good Fay. Please just indulge me as I poorly attempt to flatter a beautiful woman who so diligently cared for me. I woke, "He paused when she handed him a bowl of stew, nodding his thanks, "clean and smelling of soap, not sickness. I am in fresh garments, the bed has been changed. I have seen people supposedly in love not so well cared for. To be honest, my late mother did not care for me half as well, ever." He paused again to eat some of the stew, which he moaned in delight of, once swallowed he looked directly at her, "I sit before you a weakened man, who now wrestles with twin desires."

He saw her roll her eyes and grin, "Oh dear, dare I ask?"

He held up his hand, "Hear me out, Fay."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really, "Palpatine said, giving her a charming grin.

"Very well." she said sitting on the dirt floor next to the bed, "Tell me."

He took in a small breath, and grinned, "Part of me wishes to pay any price to have you as my advisor, at my side to help me lead my people." He paused, trying to read her reaction, he pursed his lips in disappointment when her face remained neutral.

"That is a noble enough desire, what is the second?"

"The bigger part of me would have me seduce you and make you my bride, and keep you at my side…"

Her face remained neutral as she spoke, "That option might save you and your government a good deal of money."

He feigned being appalled, "You wound me, Fay. It's not about the money, it's about the partnership. With you at my side there would be peace. Surely, you would save me from myself and make me a better man." He watched her to see if there was any temptation at all, and then struck with a tease to diffuse the seriousness of their negotiation, "And don't judge me by my state when you cleaned my body. I assure you that at complete health I am...fully operational."

She laughed softly and blushed, shaking her head, "Oh, I didn't...I used, the...Force to…"

He threw his head back laughing, really laughing. She had used the Force to protect his, and presumably her, modesty. What innocence and purity, wrapped in what seemed like unlimited power. He doubted she could be turned to the darkside, but he could use her in other ways. When his laughter died down he sighed and took her hand, "I will not press you or beg, but you said yourself that you felt the Force within you pine for me. Think on it, search your feelings." He grinned, "Though I suppose that I should be offended that it does not seem to be a temptation at all. Do Jedi forbid love?" he asked pretending not to know.

Fay's lip curled into a small smile, "I heard no talk of love, Sheev, only possession. Both of your twin desires only include possessing me, the second just saves you money and grants you access to my body." Fay paused, "You must be a formidable senator. You have a way of making it seem as if there are two choices, when truly you offer only one."

He finished his bowl and sat it aside, sliding down to sit on the dirt floor with her. She was impressive, and he was patient. "Your beauty is only exceeded by your brilliance. Naturally, either option is exactly the same, I grant you. The result is also the same, and surely you can see that. With you at my side, I could be...a better man."

"You have several days here to regain your strength. I will meditate on the offer to go with you back to the core, if the Force moves me it will be."

He nodded, "That is fair. I do not believe the Force brought us together for no reason."

"Did you get enough to eat?"

"Yes, it was…like everything connected with you thus far, divine." He replied gazing at her warmly, his mind already trying to plot ways to influence her to choose him. "Your eyes, were they always silver?"

"No, ages ago they were brown, but the Force changes things."

He nodded, "Yes, I have heard. I heard a legend that the dark Jedi...the Sith, I believe they are called, their eyes become," he paused as if to think, "A red...or yellow I believe. Though, I have never seen a Jedi's eyes change. They all appear normal colors, not like yours, which are stunning."

Fay rose slowly taking his empty bowl and hers, she turned from him and paused, "You aren't used to, um, attempting seduction of a woman are you? Given your power and influence, I have no doubt you've had many women of substance fall to your charms with ease. So easy in fact, the instrument has grown stale."

"If you strike with your lightsaber as hard as you strike with your words, then no foe can stand before you." He said genuinely stunned and amused by her candor.

"My tongue is my weapon, Sheev. I carry no lightsaber. I mean no offense, it's just an observation."

He held out his hand to have him help stand. When she did he leaned into her. It was delightful that she did not carry a lightsaber. He did, normally, but only to moch the Jedi. She apparently believed as he did, that the Force itself should be weapon and tool enough.

"Then don't make me play games, Master Fay." he said taking her hand, "I do desire you, as I have already said."

"Don't you think I am a little old for you? I am centuries older, you know, " she teased.

He huffed, "Don't toy with me, Fay."

"Forgive the jest, please, but your words sound like...a Sith I once knew. You speak of ownership, and desire yet again, but not of love. You see a powerful Jedi who is aesthetically pleasing to your eye, beyond that you do not know me, nor I you. You've been delirious for the past two days and awake passionately in need of me." She said gently patting his chest where he placed her hand. "Who is truly toying with whom?" With that she nodded to the chair, "Sit a while, I must go into the village with medicine. I will return shortly."

Fay pulled away without another word. She placed the bowls beside the stew pot, grabbed her pack and left before Palpatine could speak.

The Sith took the seat she indicated, his physical strength waning from the toll the poison had taken. She wasn't wrong, in some ways, about his seduction instrument seeming dull against her. The people he corrupted, even the best of them, weren't hard to turn. Politicians, soldiers, even some Jedi-a few careful words, a seed of doubt, and they were clay for him to sculpt. It was artless how easy it was. This woman, this pure Jedi, that would be a true conquest. With her he could shed his Master and move forward with his plans of Sith domination much sooner. Beyond that, her knowledge of the light side of the Force could aid in him in his quest for immortality. If she was simply a human centuries years old with the face and body of a youth of twenty then she could hold the key to turning back his own clock. He didn't just want her. He needed her.

Palpatine closed his eyes, he needed to meditate to gain his strength back and to find some path that might bring her to his side.

When Palpatine opened his eyes again the sun was much lower in the sky. He looked to the door just in time to see Fay's shadow approaching. Taking in a deep breath, he already felt stronger from his meditations so offered Fay a genuine smile as she entered.

"Your color looks good," she observed immediately, "You must have rested well."

His smile broadened, "I did, thank you. I was waiting in hopes that you might help me get out and walk a bit. The fresh air would do me good, I believe."

"As you wish, Sheev. Perhaps after the walk I will make a fire outside so you can sit and look at the stars. I find the night sky as rejuvenating as the midday sun, only more calming."

"That sounds charming." He said moving carefully to stand as he held out an unnecessary arm to Fay. "Shall we?" His warm smile broadened when she took him in her arms to help steady him.

"You surprise me with your strength, Sheev. I have seen the pirate poison cripple men half your age and double your physical strength." She said wrapping an extra cloak around him with her free arm.

Turning toward her to help her dress him he found his face in her hair, she smelled of alien flowers and purity, and an almost ozone quality-like kyber crystals before they bleed. "I had a good physician, and a strong will not to disappoint her."

"Then I am thankful for that." She let him lead them out the door at his own pace.

"You said earlier that you knew a dark Jedi, the Sith I believe they are called. I have questions about that, if you don't mind chatting as we walk."

"Of course."

"First I must ask, what do you think of these dark users of the Force. I'm afraid the Jedi I know see them as something of a legend. I believe the word they use is...extinct."

"They are not extinct." She said matter of factly, "If the council of masters were not blind they would know that it could not be so."

Her answer shocked him, "Really? How is that?"

"You are a well learned man, how familiar are you with lore and legends of the Jedi?"

"Not as well versed as I would like, the subject fascinates me."

"There is a story of a powerful Jedi woman who lived long ago. She and her lover lived on a planet in the outter rim. Her lover became ill and no medicine could cure him, he was going to die of his affliction. She could not heal him, so to keep him alive she used all of her force ability to put the planet they lived on in a Force shield of pure light and life. The planet became a paradise. It was lush, green, full of food, and wildlife. And her lover hung in a limbo, neither well nor dying. She held the planet like that for years, until one day, unable to bear his existence any longer, he took his own life." She paused and looked at Palpatine, checking to see if his stamina was holding. He stopped walking and turned to her, gripping her tighter than need be to feign the need to be near her.

"What happened then?" He asked, truly fascinated by the story.

"She left the planet and turned to the dark side. The planet lingered in that lushness for about a year after she left, a testament to her power I think. Then, because of the complete lack of balance between the two sides of the Force, the entire planet fell into darkness and ruin. Legend has it that where the Jedi's lover killed himself now sits a powerful Sith temple. So you ask what I think of these dark side users…." She helped guide him to sit on a fallen tree to give him rest, "I think that if I exist, and the Jedi council exists, then they too must exist or we in our quest for the light have the greatest potential of doing more harm than the Sith ever could." She said placing her over-cloak over his shoulders and sitting next to him.

Palpatine sat silently watching the shadow of sadness pass over her silver eyes. Her answer was much more fascinating and complex than he had expected. In honesty, he had assumed that with her saint-like quality, he expected her flat refusal to accept any darkness at all in the universe. "This truly saddens you?"

She stared up at the stars in silence for a few moments before turning to Sheev, "Does it sadden me to think that if the sun shines too brightly and never sets that it will kill as surely as if the sun sets and never shines again? Perhaps. Truly what I see that gives me reason for some grief is that…" she stopped and shook her head, "There are ten-thousand Jedi attempting to make the universe lush and green, by their will. What will come next?"

Sheev nodded. He understood that she was, in a way, foreseeing his rise to power coming, whether she realized it was him or not. "The Jedi say there is a prophecy that one will come to restore balance to the Force."

"I know, I was taught that as a youngling." She replied with a sad smile, "Many among the ranks long for that, but I do not believe they understand the price it will exact from them. What must be done will be done, in the fullness of time."

Palpatine saw her shiver and took it upon himself to put his arm around her with the cloak she had given him, "What of you?" he asked, "What will you do? How can you make a difference in this? Would you turn to the darkside to aid in returning the balance?"

The warmth of his arm was welcome in the dying light of the day, but she found she could not look at him as she spoke, "A bird cannot become a fish nor a leopard cat yearn to eat grass. I am what the Force has made me by my surrender. It is my hope, that by that surrender, I am doing my part for balance. By acting only when and as the Force wills it, I am fulfilling and will fulfill my destiny."

Palpatine could suddenly see the perfect symmetry of her saving his life. "Yes, yes, I do believe you are." he whispered in a low baritone. "Which is why I think our place is together." he lifted his hand to gently touch her chin and turn her face toward his, "I may not be a Jedi, but I long for balance in this universe so we can have...peace."

"If that is the will of the Force, Sheev, then it will be so."

Again, it was not the answer he wanted to hear, but one he should have expected.

"Come, let's return to my home. I will fix food and if after you eat you still have the energy I will make the fire I told you about."

He let his hand drop from her face and gave her a charming smile, "Yes, of course."


	3. The dance with the devil

The next day Sheev woke and rolled over to see Fay laying curled up on a thin blanket on the dirt floor. She slept with such peace and humility. She was not like the Jedi he knew. In truth, he did not believe in good or evil, they were all a matter of perspective. The web was evil to the fly and good to the spider. He prefered to be the spider, bending the web to his own desire. Fay was something altogether different. She was nobody's fly and not a spider, he could not discern what she was. It bothered him that he could not find a single thing to hate about her. It also concerned him that whether she joined him or not, he did not relish the idea of a universe without her, that he did not wish her dead.

Palpatine threw his legs over the side of the bed. For a moment he toyed with the idea of lifting her into the bed to rest in comfort. He wasn't ready to leave the planet yet, as he would when 'his strength returned' so he stood and went outside to relieve himself.

Returning to the small hut he saw what looked to be a band of indigenous people in war or ornemental regalia approaching the hut. Their leader was holding a young boy in his arms, the shaft of some projectile protruding from the boy's chest. Even from this distance, it looked like a mortal wound. He made haste to get closer, the need to see what his Jedi would do was great.

He arrived as the one of the followers rolled out a mat before Fay's door, and the leader lay the moaning boy on the mat. The entire band then went to their knees and began chanting, what he assumed were prayers and supplications.

Palpatine watched as Fay, who looked like she just woke up, came out of the hut. The chanting stopped, and in a language he could not understand spoke to Fay. She nodded and kneeled next to the boy, placing her hand on his forehead she closed her eyes. She paused for a moment and then opening her eyes again spoke to the chief.

The Sith didn't need to know the language to see the relief on the older man's face. Apparently there was something Fay could do. She held up her hand and the band fell silent. Moving her other hand over the shaft, it seemed to go deeper into the boy, clear to the other side. Then, she moved her hand again and he heard the muffled snap of wood from under the body while at the same time the longer length of the projectile moved smoothly upward until it was free.

The blond woman then placed her hand on the boy's bleeding chest and closed her eyes. With each passing second less blood flowed from under her delicate hands, until it stopped entirely. When she lifted her hands Palpatine audibly gasped. There wasn't even a scar on the child's skin, the only reminder that the boy had been injured at all was the drying blood on his skin.

The boy sat up and gasped, casting his eyes between Fay and the leader. She whispered something to the young man and he got up and embraced the leader. The entire band of people surrounded them cheering in their native language.

Fay stood, careful not to get blood on her white robes, watching she radiated with joy at the scene. The leader broke through the celebrating group, who was now looking at the boy trying to find evidence of any wound. He spoke a few words to her, bowed and then called for his people to leave and follow him.

Palpatine took this as his moment to approach Fay, who was already returning to her hut to clean off her hands. "Bravo, Master Fay." he began, truly in awe of what he had seen, "No Jedi on Coruscant could do such a thing. In fact, I dare say I've never seen such a powerful display of the Force, ever."

Fay dipped her hands into a bowl of water, rubbing them together to get them clean, "The injury was grievous, but surviveable."

"I dare to say that he would not have survived without your intervention." Palpatine pressed.

"Perhaps, but it was not the will of the Force that the boy die. Had it been, there would have been nothing for me to do. I cannot create life, if that is what you think. I can merely blow on the embers of life to re-spark the fire."

"What did the leader say to you?"

"He thanked me for his son's healing. There will be a feast and dance tonight in honor of his son's life. There is a ceremony involved." She smiled, "I hope you feel strong enough to attend."

"I don't want to miss it." he replied, looking at her in awe.

"Don't do that." She said wiping her hands on a towel.

"What?"

"Look at me like that. Ultimately, I did nothing. I was the conduit for the Force, nothing more." She turned to grab the bowl to throw it out onto the grass, "I think you will enjoy tonight. They are a simple people, but their food will rival any royal banquet you've attended."

"I will enjoy it, Master Fay." he said, "Because you will be there. Though, I draw the line at going bare chested as the native men are."

"That's a pity, the women of the tribe have never seen red hair. You'd make quite a stir." She winked at him, the apples of her cheeks tinged with pink. "I will make us some breakfast, but not too much, as tonight will be extravagant with food."

After they ate, Fay dug out a book for him to pass the afternoon with. It was a Jedi book of parables, which he actually found interesting. They were ancient stories which Fay had translated from older texts, that ranged from the time before the split of the darkside and lightside users into two different groups, to stories much like the one Fay told about the Jedi who kept her lover alive and then turned dark after he took his own life.

He vacillated between reading intently and watching Fay create some sort of weapon with metal pieces she has in a pouch. A few hours into this, he realized he'd been given the book as a kind of babysitter, to keep him entertained as she worked. He closed the book and sat it neatly in his lap, "Are you always this self-sufficient?"

She glanced back at him, "What do you mean?"

"The people I know talk endlessly, you haven't said a word since breakfast."

She finished tying the double dagger looking weapon off on a leather thong and wrapped it in some cloth, then she turned to him, "I have lived alone since I left the temple two hundred and fifty odd years ago. I am used to silence. I also thought you might enjoy the peace and quiet. Your eyes tell me you do not often rest."

"Are you saying I look old?" He smirked

"Not at all, just that you look restless." She put her handmade weapon in a pouch and approached him, sitting next to his chair.

He pursed his lips, "What do I look like to you, Fay? Do I look young and handsome, or old and hideous." It was the best way he knew to ask, without asking, if she saw him as a Sith or a mere man.

Fay tilted her head, "That is not an easy question with you. I think you are handsome, but I see a great darkness in your face. I have never seen a hideous being, so I don't know what you mean by that."

Palpatine sighed. That was an ambiguous answer. It didn't tell him much at all. "I'll take it as a compliment. You said handsome. That's what I heard."

Fay chuckled. Her eyes glistened with amusement. "The evening is coming. I will leave you to ready yourself for tonight's feast."

"Ooooh but I am so weak, Fay." He said grabbing onto her, "I need help undressing and dressing."

She bent down and kissed the tip of his long slender nose, "Don't be a dirty young man." Fay said, slipping from his grasp.

When she left he leaned back in the chair. He found himself intrigued at how she responded to simple bawdy humor, how innocent she was for a woman who claimed such a long life span. Women half his own age were much more worldly and aggressive, with a fraction of the power. It was such a novelty.

When she returned she had her long blond hair braided up with some native flowers, and her slender pointed ears were fully visible. He had gone to his ship and procured his black robes, so he was comfortable. He held out his hand to her, "We look like opposites, you all in angelic white, and me dressed in black." He saw that she was looking at his hand with curiosity, "My dear, when a man takes a woman to a function, there is etiquette to follow." he motioned for her to take his hand, which she finally did. He gave a polite bow and placed her hand over his arm. "You are my date this evening." he stated.

"Do I get a say in this?"

He cast a glance at her and said, "No."

"I see." she said with a chuckle.

"I would normally give my date some bouquet of flowers, candies, or if I am trying to be very dashing…" He held up one of his silver buttons from one of his articles of clothing on a simple silver chain, 'A piece of jewelry." He moved and placed it around her neck, and then replaced her hand on his arm, "I didn't have time to shop, so this will have to do."

With her free hand she picked up the button and looked it over. It was expensive, that she could tell. Some villages didn't have the money found in this trinket. It also held a signet, his she assumed. "Is this how people date where you are from?"

"Only the best people," he said with a campy flourish. "Shall we?"

She nodded yes.

"Tonight, my dear, we are going to pay honor to these native traditions while following a human tradition of our own, and that is the tradition of a date."

"I have never dated anyone, young man."

He tsked his teeth, "Please, it's Sheev tonight. And after tonight, you will be able to say you have dated at least once, and I get to be the only man in the galaxy that can say he has dated you. This appeals to my vanity you know."

Smiling she shook her head, "Jedi don't date."

He tsked his teeth again with a little more drama, "Tonight you are just Fay…" he paused furrowing his brows, "Do you have a last name, my dear?" he asked, then adding, "You see it's customary to get to know one's date."

"I see." she said walking along with him toward the small village, "I don't know my last name, if I ever had one. I was in the temple right after my birth." she paused, "Do you have a last name?"

He smiled broadly, "Now you are catching on. Yes, Fay, I do. I am Sheev Palpatine. I am telling you this now, so for the rest of the night you can try your name with my last name. Women on dates often do this to see if they like the sound of their new name."

"Fay...Palpatine."

"Goood, goood, yes you are getting the hang of this dating. Personally, I like that together."

They were interrupted by the villagers greeting them by throwing flower petals at their feet, "You see, if I were a true cad, Fay, I would tell you now that I arranged all this for your benefit, in hopes it would win me enough points to take you to my bed."

Fay gasped and he chuckled, "Does that work? And who keeps score of points?"

Palpatine laughed a touch harder, "Yes it does, and whoever is being won over keeps the points. In this case, you are trying to win me over so I am going to keep the score."

Her pink lips pursed and her brows furrowed, "That doesn't seem right…"

Palpatine couldn't react as the music of flutes and drums filled the air as they were taken to seats of honor.

He was enjoying the evening, the native dancers were unique and enthralling. The food was as Fay had said, delicious and plentiful. He did not enjoy it as Fay did though. Joy simply flowed from her. She delighted in explaining the dances to him and offering things from her plate for him to try.

At the apex of the evening, two old women laid simple stone jewelry they had made at her feet and the leader approached her on his knees. His face to the ground he held up a dagger for her to take, which she did. She then floated it carefully before her, breaking it in two and letting it drop to the ground. Pulling the blade she had made earlier in the day out of her pack she stood and showed it to the crowd who were now silent. Then, she carefully dropped the dagger so it would stick between the leaders hands, and said a single world in their language. The crowd errupted in cheers as the leader took the dagger from the dirt, stood now walking around holding it for all to see.

Palpatine leaned over, "What just happened here? It seemed important."

"I saved his son, who was too young to owe a life debt. So the debt fell to his father. He offered me his dagger, which was symbolic of his leadership, and the tool he used to feed his people. I took the dagger, meaning I accepted his life. Had I not, he would have had to kill himself. Then I broke the dagger, and that meant that I would not harm him, because once it was mine, his people and his life were mine to do with as they please. I gave him the dagger I made, symbolically giving him back his life and his people."

"What of the jewelry the old women gave you? Will you give those back?"

"No, that would be insulting. They are the healers and wise elders of the tribe. They have given me these to say they accept me as one of their own, as a sister."

"You are a politician," Palpatine said, "You gave back stability and their child."

She shrugged, "Perhaps, but most importantly-I think-I honored their customs. Often outsiders try to change their ways, and force their ideals onto them. They accept me because I accept them. Their leader would have let his son die rather than take him to someone who would not know the law of his people, because then he would owe a life debt to someone who would never understand."

Palpatine nodded, understanding completely, "He would have been a stranger's slave, and his people would have to adapt to the stranger. They would lose themselves, their identity."

Fay's face filled with warmth, "Exactly. Forgive me, but I didn't think a politician from the core would understand."

Sheev just smiled at her, "Can we leave? I would like to spend some time walking under the stars with my date."

"Oh," she said starting to stand, taking her offerings, "Yes, of course. The rest of the night will be a retelling of the story, and lots and lots of drinking."

He took her hand and placed on his arm again. Walking away from the village the cool night air felt good in contrast to the bonfire. They were silent for a time when Fay finally spoke, "So do I have...points?" she raised a quizzical eyebrow, not forgetting their earlier conversation.

"I don't know." he replied faking indecision.

She frowned, "Are points hard to earn?"

"They can be, Fay." he said overdramatically.

"None of this makes sense to me." She said earnestly.

"You are so deliciously innocent for one so wise."

She blinked, "You are teasing me aren't you?"

He laughed and turned wrapping her up in his black robes, "Yes, I am. Though people do keep score when entering into these dating rituals. In our case, I am afraid you would be keeping score of me." He pulled her into the warmth of his robes, the exact reason he wore this particular garment. Staring down at her he smiled, "The fact that I was able to trick you in this way is endearing. It makes you less goddess and more human."

"I am not perfect." she said softly, now a little self conscious.

"If anyone in the universe could find flaw in you, Fay, it would be me." He said deliberately, "And I see no meaningful chink in your armor." He was not being as flattering as he sounded, as much as he was just realizing that he could not turn her to the darkside, nor did he think he could-at least at this point- manipulate her in any meaningful way. Not the way he had Sifo Dyas and Dooku. He was not, however, being selfless. He wanted her. He wanted to possess her, that would not change. Having her would feel like having the force itself.

Fay just looked at him, unsure of what to say. As he held her she felt the force in her once again pine for him. She'd never felt anything like it before. He lifted her chin, "There is one privledge I will ask for, Fay since this is a date."

"What?"

"One kiss." he said in a whisper.

Taking the feeling of the Force inside her as a sign to say yes, she nodded.

Mindfully he pulled her upward to him and placed his lips gently on hers, he let them linger there a few moments for her to get used to his skin pressing against hers, and then opened their mouths with his lips drinking deep of their kiss. He could feel the threads of the Force within her crashing against his skin, and it may well have been his imagination but he could almost swear he tasted pure light in her mouth. The darkest parts of him wanted to keep pushing his limits, but he pulled back before the gentleman facade slipped away.

She touched her fingers to her lips, looking at him strangely.

"Have I offended you?" He asked, licking his lips.

"No, not at all." she blinked.

"Whatever else I am, Fay, I am a man. A man who has an infinite appetite for power and beauty, and you have an abundance of both. I might, with a lesser woman, tell you that if you return with me to the Core I would see to it that you want for nothing." he sighed, "But in your simplicity, you already want for nothing. I have nothing to offer you that you do not already possess."

"But you do." Fay said in protest, "It's the one thing you don't give away. Yourself." She said now wrapping her arms tighter around him, "The only thing I would truly want from you is the exact thing you will not give away. "

He buried his nose in her hair, every bit of her was perfumed by the Force. "If you came back with me, you could change that."

"I will meditate on it, but I've already seen a vision that seems to tell me that I will not now, but one day I will come to you."

The mention of a vision sparked his curiosity, "What did you see?"

She hesitated and released him, "I see that we have a future together, but it is unlike what you imagine and better than you can dream." She turned away and began walking toward the hut. He took a few long strides and caught up with her.

"Tell me how."

Fay opened her mouth but it refused to speak, "I cannot say." she said clearing her throat. "Darkness covers and follows you like a shroud, Sheev. I expect you know that."

"Does that make you fear or hate me?" He asked, turning her face toward him.

"No." she answered without hesitation, "And one day, I will love you as I have never loved another." she smiled taking the hand at her chin into her hands, kissing it she continued, "I can say no more, other than it is best if you signal for rescue tomorrow."

"I will see you again?" He asked.

"Yes, several more times before…" she did not finish.

"Before what?"

She smiled, "I saw my death…" she said almost breathlessly, "We will see each other several more times before my death."

Palpatine frowned, suspecting he would have some part in her death the way she acted. "Whatever you saw, I do not wish you to die." Even he, what others consider a total monster, could not see any benefit in her death.

She hugged him, "You have no part in my death, Sheev. It is the will of the Force."

"This is a terrible way to end a date." Palpatine said wanting to break the tension until he could meditate on these matters.

"Is it? I thought the purpose of dating was to get to know things. Is the whole death thing a...deal breaker?" She chuckled, "It shouldn't be. For people of the lightside, that's when things get really interesting." Fay closed the gap between them, and then taking him by surprise kissed him on the lips. Then pulling away she entered into the hut, leaving him in the night to ponder this enigmatic moment.


	4. Parted and never alone

Palpatine was sitting in the small hut trying to decipher one of thin texts Fay had left behind. He had come to the conclusion that it was some lightside power, but the language it was written in made no sense to him. In the distance he heard a shuttle land, but he did not bother to stand. He only turned to face the door when he heard Qui Gon Jinn call out and his padawan's shadow touch the door. "Oh good! Thank goodness." he said tucking the thin text into his interior pocket, "Master Qui Gon, Padawan Kenobi, it's so good to see you both." He gave them both a large contrived smile.

"Senator Palpatine," Qui Gon said in his gravelly voice, "It is good to find you well and unharmed."

"Oh I am afraid that would not have been the case had a very kind Jedi woman not taken pity on a simple senator." He replied walking out of the hut with them. He cast a glance at both of them, privately reveling in their instant and apparent confusion.

"A Jedi?" Kenobi asked, the first to speak between the two of them.

"Yes," Palpatine said now following them back to their ship, "A beautiful woman with pointed ears, and silver vine markings on her face. I believe she identified herself as...Master Fay." he dropped the bomb on them, but did not wait for their reaction, "I didn't recognize her from among your ranks, Master Qui Gon. I was quite confused really, but I had no reason to doubt her. Especially since she seemed to use the force to pluck my ship from the sky. Had she not, I am sure my ship would have been destroyed, along with me." He was cloyingly positive, and smiling as he always did, while casually rubbing their noses in who he spent time with. He hoped with his bragging might come more information.

Qui Gon allowed the senator to pass, discreetly reaching out through the Force to feel for the presence of the woman he claimed saved his life. He felt nothing, the vision was clouded. The Senator may be mistaken…

When they were in lightspeed headed back to Coruscant Qui Gon accessed some Jedi files. "Senator, would you mind looking at these?"

Palpatine instantly smiled, "Anything for you Master Jedi." he said with great cheer. As he leaned forward the fake smile became genuine, exactly what he wanted to see.

Before them was an image of a young blond Jedi woman, "Master Fay." Palpatine said with a nod, "Though her eyes are silver, and her ears have the most sensual point. She also has two silver tattoos one here." he pointed to her forehead and one there." He was busy reading while he was making small talk. "And she didn't have a lightsaber on her belt, but this is her, I have no doubt. She doesn't appear to have aged beyond that picture." He gazed intently at the screen, "Is this a recent holograph?" he asked dumbly.

"No, this is a training holo, taken over two-hundred years ago." Qui Gon said looking at his padawan.

"How is that possible, Master?" Kenobi asked.

"There have been legends of her for many years now. I thought they were just myth, but I grew to admire the myths. I spent hours in the library archives reading all I could. I have always thought that some day," he paused thoughtfully, "I would go and find her, if she existed, and ask her to teach me, and that I might live as she does."

"Guided completely by the Force?" Palpatine finished the Jedi Master's thought, "But we would sorely miss you, Master Qui Gon, the Republic needs you."

"Of course, Senator." Qui Gon left the picture and information on the screen, apparently unconcerned with the information.

"Do you know," Palpatine said with a cheery smile, "When I woke from the poison, she was standing over me. I do believe I asked her to marry me." He chuckled, "And do you know what she said? She said that she was a bit too old for me." he shook his head and leaned back, "She's a clever woman, very quick witted. I'm sorry you didn't get to meet her, Master Qui Gon." He stood from his seat, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to rest before we get home. It's been a taxing few days."

Qui Gon nodded, "Of course, Senator." When the Senator was gone Qui Gon sent a message to the council that Master Fay had a confirmed sighting, along with the details available from the senator's description of events.

"Do you think they will ask us to look for her, Master?"

"I don't know, Obi-Wan. I hope so. We could use her wisdom on the council right now."

While Palpatine was in his quarters he sent a message to his Master, Darth Plagueis, that he had a gift for him. He pulled the lightside book from his pocket and studied it's cover. This may help their quest for the Force powers of life, and once they unlocked that secret, Palpatine would kill his master. As for Master Fay, he would arrange to see her again, perhaps once his Master was dead. Fay may be willing to leave things to the will of the Force, but he was not one to leave things chance. The button he gave her would assure he could find her again as it held the finest tracking device available.

888

Several years later….

Palpatine lay staring at the ceiling, Sly Moore his Umbaran lover, lay naked and sleeping at his side. She was but one of the many of his lovers and concubines. On this night a night of celebration that he was finally rid of his Master, he found he could not find satisfaction in her arms. He threw his legs over the side of his bed and wrapped himself in a robe, padding over to his desk he touched a secret button and a panel slid open. Within the small hiding spot, a single kyber crystal. He frowned down at it before picking it up. It had taken a while to procure this particular crystal. It came from the Jedi temple archives out of the hilt of a lightsaber that was stored there, the lightsaber of Master Fay.

The archive had recorded that when Fay went into the cave the crystal that revealed itself to her was in the broken hilt of a Sith that died fighting in the temple a millennia before. It was documented that she returned with the crystal in hand having healed the wound the Sith had made to give it the traditional red color. She was the only recorded youngling to ever wield a white lightsaber.

Remembering the story he held it to the light. He could see both the wound and it's repair with a sigh he placed it on his desk. The book he had given to his Master, the one written by Fay, had in fact aided Plageius in manipulating the midichlorians to bring someone back from the dead. It had also driven him insane. The study of the book had turned Plagueis into a recluse making him fairly worthless to Palpatine. For everything there was a price.

He was now chancellor of the Republic and his own master. His plans were unfolding exactly as he had foreseen. Now on the night of his triumph he felt pulled toward Fay. It angered him that he could not foresee what role she played in his life. The part she played was shrouded in mystery. Given the books he took from her home, he suspected it had something to do with immortality, but he couldn't be sure. When he went to meditation about this all he ever saw was a repeat of a dream he had years ago. The dream of a desert planet, the day it seemed he would take her as a lover. It alway frustrated him, because he could feel the Force and her body mingling with his own. He felt the word life in his mind as the dream played on. Which is why he could only assume she was a key to his immortality.

He stared at the small kyber crystal formulating the next step he would take to 'run into her' again. He could not resist the call of the Force this night to seek her out again.

Palpatine then felt Sly get up from their bed and approach him, "Leave me." he said, devoid of all emotion other than contempt. She obeyed, as they all obeyed, leaving him to his machinations.

A moment later he felt a presence in his room. He stood with his robes still open, rounding in anger, thinking Sly had returned. To his complete shock Fay stood at the window, bathed in the moonlight. "Fay." he said stepping forward, "I was just thinking of you."

Fay laughed, "Really?" she looked away, causing him to tie his robes together, "I believe your mate might take offense at that. I arrived a bit earlier, and you were...busy." She finished and then looked back at him.

"Jealous?" He asked hopefully.

"No." Fay replied in a soft earnest voice, "Will she return or do we have a moment to speak?"

"As much time as you wish, Fay." He motioned to the couch in his room, "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything, food, drink...anything?"

"No, thank you." she said moving toward the couch, looking at the opulent surroundings, "You've come so far from your humble beginnings in my earthen hut." Fay said slowly sitting down, still looking at the artwork and gilded nature of his apartments. "That's an interesting piece." she said pointing to a stone mural that depicted the battle of the first split between the Jedi and the Sith. She turned back to him, "Not a piece of art one expects to find in a non-force user's possession."

His blue eyes widened, "I suppose not, but I work closely with the Jedi council, and that hallway goes to my offices. It's in honor of them."

Her silver eyes flashed and she raised a skeptical eyebrow, "It's a strange complement, Sheev."

He shrugged, "You didn't come here to talk about my decor I am sure. I have read up on you, you are considered a legend to these Jedi. They document sightings and rumors of your exploits. When I returned to Coruscant from being with you, Master Yoda himself interviewed me at length. They have files and files about you, Master Fay."

She rolled her eyes, "They must be easily fascinated or entertained."

"They surely don't know you are here though." He smirked, taking one of the glasses of wine he sat on the coffee table earlier and drinking.

"Nobody knows I am here, but you. I snuck in, which by the way...You are now the Chancellor and I was able to sneak into your apartments with great ease."

"You are a Jedi, I should think that would be easy for any Jedi."

"I'm not that kind of Jedi that sneaks as a general rule." She smiled, "I'm an in broad daylight kind of Jedi."

He smiled sipping his wine, "Why are you here? Not that I am complaining, mind you, but for someone who hasn't come to the core in centuries-which I believe now by the way-why now, and why me?"

"I've been feeling you call to me through the Force." She said directly, "For months now, I have felt you call at least once a week. Tonight, I heard you call to me. When I showed up and you were...ummm...busy, and then strongly after. Which, by the way, you do that poor woman a disservice if you take her to your bed and then think of another." she lightly chastised.

"I don't know, thinking of you was inspirational." He said with a heady voice, causing her to blush. He did realize that his meditations had brought her here, and perhaps another item aided tonight. He stood and gathered her kyber crystal in his hand holding it up so she could see, "Perhaps this helped me, I was holding it when you entered."

"My kyber crystal!" she gasped, "How did you obtain it, that had to be locked in the archives."

"A Jedi friend loaned it to me temporarily. I know a Jedi and their crystal are intimately linked, and I missed you. I suppose you have been hearing me lately because I knew the path to being Chancellor was open, and I was thinking more about how I wished you were at my side. As for the woman tonight, I'm not like you Fay. I am not a holy or even good man. She is interested in my power, what I can do for her. She has a need, I have a need, it's a tidy but not noble arrangement." he finished the glass of wine in one gulp, " That's why I need you, Fay. All these years later, and I recognize that now more than ever."

Fay stood abruptly, "I must go, I've been sensed. I will be on your home planet of Naboo in two weeks time, if you wish to speak again before years pass be there."

He stood, "How will I find you?"

"I will find you when you settle in." she pointed to the kyber crystal, "Return that and allow it to rest please." she moved to the window almost faster than he could see.

"But it helps me call to you," he called out.

"There are other ways." she said and out the window of the impossibly tall building she went.

On cue Master Windu and Kenobi entered with lightsabers in hand, but not lit. "We felt a disturbance in the Force, Chancellor. Are you alright?" Master Windu said looking around the room, while Kenobi looked at the open window, the shield had been disabled. "Someone disabled the alarm and the window sheild." Kenobi said trying to sense the intruders path, to no avail.

The chancellor stood, wrapping his robe around him, "It was a friendly guest, Masters, an old friend." he purred, "I appreciate your diligence, but I am in need of rest. If you will excuse me.


	5. Lifting shadows

Palpatine left his advisors in charge and traveled to Naboo with minimal security, and against the council's wishes, he took no Jedi. He settled in a remote villa in the lake country of Naboo, a beautiful area where they would have complete privacy. He had been there three days without incident when while eating his dinner on a balcony when Fay literally dropped in.

He felt her moments before her feet touched the ground across his table. He did not startled and instead pausing the motion of his fork he said simply, "I can have a plate brought for you, Master Fay, if you are hungry." He took his bite and then stood, pulling out the chair next to him, "My lady."

Fay took a seat, "I will eat with you." she said, taking the seat he offered.

He bent and kissed her on the cheek, "It is good to see you again." he cooed and pressed the button at his side calling for another plate to be brought. 'You said we would see each other several times before your death, and I am not trying to expedite your death, but I would like to see you."

A protocol droid carrying a tray entered, placing the tray before her it left in silence. "It has not been the will of the Force, until recently." Fay replied picking up her fork, "Now it seems, I am as drawn to you as you claim to be to me."

Palpatine put down his utensils and leaned back in his chair, a jackals smile spread over his lips, "You don't know how wonderful it is to me to hear that." he said practically purring. "The Force finally shines on me." He pursed his lips, "And yet, you use a word that bothers me. "Claim"." he picked up his wine, "I know, being a politician, there are certain true stereotypes of us being less than forthright. Yet, I assure you there is no lie in the fact that I am drawn to you. That I want to call out to you," He sipped his wine, "That I believe our destiny is intertwined in some way. I can't for the life of me understand how or why yet, but it is no claim. It is the truth."

Fay swallowed another piece of food, "The problem is that when one's life is that stereotype and then suddenly they speak a truth, it's easy to assume it's another lie. That's the only real problem with living lies isn't it? When you are desperate to have someone believe your truth, you can find no one."

He grinned into his glass, hiding his admiration for her tenacity and single minded strength, "Come now, have I lied or manipulated you?"

"Lied? I don't know yet. Manipulated? You are attempting and have to have me by your side, that is, whether for the right or wrong reason, a manipulation to get what you want." She said evenly, with no hint of judgement, "If you are really trying to get me to see that you haven't tried to hurt me, then I must say I haven't given you an opportunity."

He put his glass down and sighed, "You are a formidable woman. Do you like me at all?"

She put her fork down and looked at him, her eyes thoughtful and her face softened, "I do, Sheev. I even think I love you, for reasons I cannot comprehend." Fay said looking back at her plate, pushing it away.

"Love me?" He said tilting his head, "You don't behave like any woman who has claimed that to me before." Sitting up, leaning toward her over the table, "So what does that look like from one of the purest Jedi...no, no, not just Jedi, women I have ever met. Does it mean you'll let me take you to my bed? Does it mean you will take your place at my side so the whole galaxy will see us stand together? Will you love me when all my deceptions are brought to light? " He placed his hand over the hand she had resting on the table, stroking her fingers with his, soaking in the now familiar feel of the Force lapping off her skin, "My guileless angel of the light, your truth opens many questions."

She opened her mouth to speak and he placed a finger on her lips, "We will answer them later. For now, I have plans for us. As much as I adore our verbal sparring matches, I am going to continue, as you say, to manipulate you further with a second date." He picked up her hand and stood, "I thought about dressing you in the finest Nabooian fashions, dripping with our most precious stones tonight, but considering who and what you are, I simply had new Jedi robes made for you. They are in a room that I designated for you, my droid will show you. Meet me back here in two hours. I am going to take you for ice cream in the village below, and a walk in the moonlight by the lake."

Fay stood with him, "Do I get a say?"

"You don't have to, of course." He conceded, "My guess is that you will, because our connection puzzles you as much as it does me, and like me you are anxious to explore this draw we have."

"Then consider me well manipulated to your will, at least in this matter." Fay replied with a demure bow of her head.

Palpatine summoned his droid who lead Fay into the depths of the house. He sat back in his chair picking up his wine to sip it again. Tonight would be a test of a great many things. He pulled a holodisk from his jacket and pressed the button. A ghostly image of a waiting Count Dooku appeared kneeling before him, "My apprentice, I have a task for you. Think of it as a test."

"Yes, My Master." his low baritone voice replied obediently.

" You will be abducting a woman this evening, one I will be with. I will send you the information you need shortly." He clicked it off and sipped his wine with a self-satisfied smirk.

888

When Fay appeared before him he smiled genuinely. Taking her hand he spun her around, "You are a vision of beauty. As much as my own vanity would love to dress you like the queen you are, you are more beautiful than any queen I've seen already even in simple Jedi robes."

"These are hardly simple, Sheev." she said running her hands over them. She looked like a Jedi master of old, who would sit at council all day. Everything was white and elegantly made, much finer than anything she'd owned since leaving the temple.

"Shall we?" He asked taking her hand and wrapping it around his arm as he had done on their first date. And just like their first date, he wore black robes, trimmed in silver with silver buttons to appease his own vanity.

Fay nodded and followed him out the door, pausing when they reached the main road, "You aren't taking security?" she questioned stopping in her tracks.

He shrugged, "Why should I? This is my home planet, nobody knows I am here, and I have you." He said with his most charming smile, "You see, this is how much I trust you, Master Fay. I would never go without my security with anyone else."

When she closed her eyes he felt a surge around them in the Force, "I don't...know…"

"Fay," He pleaded, "We will be fine."

The future was obfuscated for her, which made her think something may happen, but she still trusted in the Force to guide her. "Very well."

The pair entered the small village where Palpatine went on about the history of his homeworld for a bit before entering the small dessert shop. He sat her down at a table by the window, and said, "With your permission, I will order for us both. I have a treat I'd like to share."

Fay nodded.

He went and ordered then returned with one giant bowl of many flavors, covered in decadent amounts of toppings of all kinds, "This is what they call a date-night. We are to share this. I've never had one, but it was too tempting."

Fay laughed, "Are we supposed to eat all of it?" she blinked sizing it up.

"We can try." he said in a faux dignified playful way.

He scooted around the table sitting as close as he could to her, placing one arm around her shoulders he scraped across the surface of the treat with his spoon and then offered it to her, "Lady's first."

"One bite may be all I can manage." she said opening her mouth for him.

When she had taken the bite he scooped one for himself with the same spoon, "I've never known a Jedi to admit defeat so easily." He took his bite eyeing her.

"That's just not fair."

"As you pointed out, I'm a politician, I don't play fair or honest."

She rolled her eyes, "Now he used my own sentiments against me."

"Once again, I refer you to the previous point." He said offering her another bite, which when she opened her mouth to take, he diverted it to his own mouth.

"Now that is really not fair." she chuckled.

"The Force gives, and the government takes away, Fay."

"You have improved your seduction methods from when last we dated, I think. It begs the question, are you really this charming, or is this a mask used for my benefit?" She said moving his hand, which was going back to his own mouth to hers, stealing his bite.

"That is an excellent question, with no easy answer, is it. We are many things for many people. When dealing with the Trade Federation, I would not be this way or this person. While I deal with the senate, I am different again, and if I am with other people I am different still. When I am with you, this is who I am." He looked at her, "In the end, I am all of those people in equal measure."

Fay smiled and shook her head, "If you had been born Force sensitive, with your love of power and ability to tangle truths, you would have been a dark Jedi at the very least, or even a Sith."

Palpatine blinked slowly, "And if I were a Sith and I was still as I am now with you, would it make it less real?"

She leaned back into his arm and thoughtfully looked at the ice cream, "It would explain a great many things." she almost whispered to herself, "If you were this way, and you were a Sith, then it might be real, after a fashion, but it likely would be done for your benefit and yours alone."

"Isn't that how most of the galaxy does things? Most people except you, I mean." He put the spoon down and shifted to look at her better, "You are the purest being I have ever met, true and selfless. Yet, you do not seem to look down upon we mere mortals whose motives and actions are not so pure."

"Sheev, if you are trying to tell me that you are a Sith in the middle of a Nabooian confection shop, this has to be the strangest way imaginable anyone has ever heard something of this nature ever." she made no move to move from him, nor did the Force swell around her to lash out at him.

He chuckled, thrilled by her powerful mind as well as her spirit, and the complete bravery in how she still sat in his arm, in relative ease, "It's relationship advice at the most basic. Take your girlfriend or wife to a public place to give her bad news so she's less likely to cause a scene."

Her eyes widened and her face dropped a touch, "You…."

"Since before we met the first time." He confessed taking another bite of ice cream, now his smile truly touched his eyes. Turning to look at her slowly, for the added gravitas, he said, "Would you still say you think you love me?"

"Yes." she replied without hesitation and a slight chuckle of relief.

It took all of the Sith lord's discipline not to betray his own shock. He saw her carefully raise her hands, pausing to show him that she was not going to harm him, placing her hands on his cheeks she leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth.

When she pulled away she smiled, "It makes sense to me now, thank you."

"Ask me more questions I can make sense of for you, if that will be your reaction. How many complex problems must I solve for you before you take me to your bed?" he asked, licking his lips.

Then she swooned slightly, taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes,"Your apprentice nears." She whispered, 'He's not here to kill me…"she opened her eyes, "Abduction?"

Palpatine nodded, "Of course."

"Do you expect him to succeed?"

"No." He answered honestly.

"This is a test...of him, and me?"

"Both of you." He admitted.

She stood and held her hand out to him, "Then let's go, I don't want to be late."

He took her hand and walked out with her.

"Lead me to my trap, Sheev." She said with a genuine smile.

He began to walk with her, "I will admit, Master Fay, this is not how I thought you would react. You have a fairer view of the Sith than most Jedi, but I am surprised you seem unaffected."

"One day, I will explain it all to you, Sheev." She said walking with her hand in his, "But for now, suffice it to say, hundreds of years of visions finally make sense to me."

"And you still think you love me?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Even with this trap…"

She laughed, "As the sun loves the moon, life loves death, the beginning isn't complete without the end."

"Very poetic," he scoffed, "But you must know, I will never love you. Need you, want you, desire you, perhaps all of those things, but not love."

"You don't want me dead, that's practically a Sith love song." She said with a chuckle.

They reached the wilderness just outside of the village, and Fay shivered, "He's coming." she said mostly to herself.

"You know, he may take this opportunity to claim the title master for himself."

Fay rolled her eyes, "You Sith think too highly of your own skill. You think because I do not kill or do as you do that I am weak. You wanted to test me, then so be it. As the Force wills it so it will be." She paused just short of the trap and turned to him, "What are the stakes here? If he wins and abducts me, what then? If I defeat him, what about that?"

"Do you honor wagers?"

She put her hands on her hips, "Of course."

"If he abducts you, you must be mine. We marry in a state ceremony for all to see, you are at my side from then on."

Fay nodded, "I consider that fair, if the Force allows me to lose then that will be it's will."

"If you win...it's your stakes."

"If I win, you will take me on another of your dates at a place and time of my choosing, the goal of which will be for us to physically join…"she paused, and then added another word for clarity, "intimately."

Palpatine puckered his lips and narrowed his eyes, "I don't think you understand the concept of betting, Fay." He felt almost ridiculous explaining at a time like this, "My loss is supposed to cost me something, something that I may not want to give up."

"Is that how that works?" She said tilting her head, "Well it's said now, so be it." With that she turned to press forward, keeping him close behind.

Dooku stood across from them in the wooded clearing, the metal scrapings of droids rolling in their sides echoed off the wooded glen. He ignited his lightsaber, seeing her but not yet clearly seeing her face yet, "Stop, Jedi." he commanded, "Throw down your weapons and surrender and you and your companion will not be harmed." The droids all popped open, cocking and pointing their blasters at her.

She moved Sheev behind her, holding her hands up. "Oh my, a Sith, and battle droids. I'm without weapons what shall I do?"

Dooku's eyes narrowed and he took a single step toward her, her face which was obscured by a leaf now came into view. His eyes widened, "Master Fay?" He held his lightsaber up.

"You have ten droids, and yourself, Darth...Dooku?" She said shrugging, "It's not an even match."

He swallowed thickly, "Then give up now."

She took a step forward, her hands still raised, "Don't make me embarrass you in front of the chancellor."

Dooku's mind began flooding with every happy and poignant memory he had, until sentimental tears began burning the back of his eyes. The more he tried to fight it the more intense the happiness, love, and friendship came. He went to one knee, and Fay lifted her hands and then slowly made two fists as if she were crushing eggs. The sickening sounds of crumbling battle droids filled the air as Dooku began to weep.

Approaching Dooku she kicked away his lightsaber, and went to one knee before him, lifting his chin, "I have met many dark Jedi and Sith in my time, you are not yet really one of them. There is still goodness within you, remember that and let it temper your path. You did not win this day, but you may yet redeem your soul." Picking up his lightsaber she walked back toward Sheev. With it off she tossed it to him, "I'm honestly offended at how little fire power you put behind this sham of an abduction scheme."

He didn't have to ask what she'd done to his apprentice, he'd seen her do similarly to the pirates, "I didn't want you harmed," Sheev said, "I have no desire to see you harmed or dead."

"What was the plan after this? You'd come and save me from the big bad Sith and that would endear me even further to you?" She tsked her teeth and turned to walk away.

Palpatine grabbed her wrist with a firm authority, and turned her toward him. Her entire reaction to this night was unnerving, he would have answers.

Before he asked the question she said firmly, "What you seek will not be answered right now, but if you thought you'd know why, beyond any visions or Jedi codes why."

"Because the Force wills it."

"Exactly." She said pulling her wrist from his hand, "You will do whatever your plans are and I will fight for the light against your plans. " She held up her index finger, "I will fight your plans, not you. You dismiss my words as foolish poetic sentimentality, because you do not truly listen. The Sith have called Jedi narrow and dogmatic for as long as I can remember, but to me you both are the same in that. You both follow your narrow dogmas, bending the Force to your own will. There is hope yet that one day the Jedi will correct the error of their ways, but your Sith are so blinded by the illusion you are different you miss that you are exactly the same." Her words were tempered with love and compassion, even when speaking of the Sith. "If you want to follow the dark path, Sheev, let the Force bend you to it's will not the other way around."

"An angel tells the evil one how to be a better kind of evil. Don't you find that ironic?"

She bowed her head demurely, "I suppose I do. No less ironic that our destinies mingled. No less ironic that with every fiber of my being I want to be with you, and fight against your plans at the same time."

Discarding Dooku's lightsaber he took her hands in his, "Be with me tonight. Watching you wield the raw power of the Force makes me want you."

"Finally, we can be honest. No more hiding behind charming lies." she grasped his hands in return, "I will stay with you, but you must know that our joining will merge our destinies irrevocably, and at great cost it will give you everything you've ever wanted, but not in the way you expect."

Not needing to hide his strength anymore he picked her up and began carrying her back to his home.


	6. Different ways

Seven Months after Naboo...

Cutting the bike off a short walk to the cave, he approached cautiously. He had not seen nor felt her in the time since their last encounter. While he hoped this meeting would have the pleasant results Naboo had, and he knew there wasn't a dark cell in Fay's body, he had no doubt she had some friends willing to get their hands dirty if they knew she was meeting him in the middle of the war. He felt nothing amiss as he entered the mouth of the cave, and he saw Fay facing away from him in the back cleaning up a dish.

The cave was set up much like the small hut he had convelessed in at their first meeting. She had been there some time, perhaps even since their first meeting. "Hello, young man." Fay said putting her dish away and turning to him with a small smile. "Ooooh black robes, in the desert? That has to be a big downfall to the whole dark side of the force. Uncomfortable colors overly hot climates."

Palpatine smirked, "I wore it just for you, Fay." he approached her, fingering his lightsaber beneath his heavy robe, in case she attacked him. "Did you bring me to Jakku in the middle of the war for lively banter?"

When Fay turned and he saw her stomach was swollen with child. Unlike the women in the past who lied and claimed they were carrying his heir, he knew without her saying that the child in her womb was his. The look on his face must have betrayed his thoughts and she spoke, "He will not be a rival, Sheev. He is not Force sensitive." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, "Search your feelings."

He closed his eyes, she was correct. It skipped generations from time to time, even so the child or the child's child may prove to be of some use later.

"I thought you deserved to know."

"It gives me a perverse pleasure to see such goodness and purity swollen with my seed." He said caressing her stomach. Seeing her, and feeling the Force lick at him through her roused desire from him causing him to soften slightly, "It irritates me that you aren't at my side at all times." he said moving closer to her.

"Next time get a more competent apprentice to abduct me."

He smiled, "Oh, I'm working on that." He bent and kissed her neck, "Just as you worked on putting down the coup on Ithor I planned, among other things."

"I did do that."

"I knew it. I should imprison you." he growled, pressing himself against her, rumbling when her body relaxed into his.

"You could try." She said opening her neck to him.

"What's stopping me from killing you?" He growled as he picked her up.

"You need me, you want me, and you find it satisfying that I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I would have been angry about being brought here today, were it not for that need and want." He laid her down on her bed and stood straight to begin stripping off his black robes. "You warned me things would change, you did not tell me that every lover I try to take repulses me." He paused undoing his buttons, "Is that your lightside force trickery?"

"Not at all, it's that you have finally developed a discerning palate."

"It's damned inconvenient, Fay. You won't take your place at my side, and yet here we are."

"You should think it perfect, it seems to anger you and as a Sith don't you use anger as power?"

He took off his shirt and climbed on top of her, "I also use that anger to get what I want."

"That won't work with me." She ran her hands up his chest to his face.

The adoration he saw in her silver eyes, no matter how incomprehensible it was, silenced him for now. He would sate his hunger and then later discuss the finer points of his will.

111

He stayed with her five days, and when he left Fay left on her ship, her heading would take her to some scrap dealers who she had befriended generations ago. She had saved their forefather's lives when she was much younger and they had passed the story down through their generations. They were good and noble people, just the kind that she would want to help raise the son in her womb.

Absently, she touched her stomach. She felt the miracle of life blossoming in her body. A small content smile spread over her face. She would leave a child to the universe, and from that line would come a great warrior of the Force that could do what she and the father could not-be balance.

With this conception, she also knew her time in the physical realm was drawing to a close. With the new beginning growing inside her it meant she must die. That was the nature of the Force and the beginning of balance, but it did not mean her end-she knew that-just a change in form. She was ready, but now she had to prepare for her son's future. For the first time in her long life, time was now short, but as it had always been the Force guided her.

111

It had only taken a dozen months after his second encounter with Fay to realize what price he still paid. He had taken all of his concubines and lovers to bed in turn, an act that usually empowered him, but found that it all left him in want. The hollowness of their power grabbing sycophantish touch only managed to bore him at worst and enrage him at best. They no longer proved to be satisfactory in the way they used to be so he focused his energies on manipulating the clone war until something grew within him that even that was not enough. His restlessness demanded him to see Fay again.

He threw everyone out of his chamber, and went into meditation. Reaching out with the Force he pulled at the strings like a spider coaxing a fly into it's web calling for Fay across space.

Palpatine felt Fay accept him and the meditation became a vision. He could not see where she was, but she was as clear as if she were in the room with him. "What good is it to have this bond we share without you at my side." he hissed out, not hiding his irritation.

She smiled, "And yet, here I am, young man. Together and never truly parted."

He threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling her close to him by the head-firmly but not to harm her, "I could force you to be at my side, Fay."

She kissed his long slender nose, "You could not. We've been through this before. If you could, it would have already happened." With a sigh she touched his face, "We will not see each other, in this flesh, again. I have but a few short years left in my life. A measure you and your apprentice have devised will cease my physical existence." Sliding into him she smiled, "That said, in a way, I will be, as you wish I was now, always at your side.

Palpatine frowned, "Tell me what kills you, Fay, and how you can be with me when you're dead." He wanted to know this immortality secret.

"It cannot be stopped now, unless of course you renounce your power, and turn to the light or submit yourself as you are to the will of the Force." she wrapped her arms around him, "And we both know that won't happen." She held him against her, allowing him to feel the joy and peace she had in her heart, "I do love you, Sheev, as only the sun can love the moon, or life love the release of death. Let me tell you a secret…" she whispered pulling back to look him full in the face, "As many evil things as you have done, as many lives are lost to your plans...nothing ever truly dies, nothing is ever truly lost." she kissed him softly as she pulled away from the vision, "Not even you. Goodbye, my love. Until we meet again."

Palpatine opened his eyes, the normal blue color replaced by the Sith yellow. Anger and hate filled his heart that he could not control her, control death, change the winds of destiny to his whim. The only solution was to gain more power, and keep gaining more power until life and the force bended to his will and his will alone.

111

Near the end of the clone war….

Fay looked at her son playing with the other children of the scrap traders. "Bon-boto," she said turning to her friend and handing him a thick volume, "This is for my son. Read it to him every night until he can read it for himself. It will give him all the rest of the instructions and guidance I cannot."

"Has the time come you spoke of when you joined us?" Bon-boto asked looking down at the ground to hide his welling tears.

"It has my old and dear friend." She placed her hand on his shoulder, "I must speak with my son and then depart as the Force will it." Moving to her son she beckoned him over. He ran and jumped into her arms, squeezing her tight, "Momma!" Fay held him close kissing his cheek. "Do you know how much I love you?" He nodded, "Wif all da light in da galaxy."

"Exactly." She smoothed out his reddish blond hair and lifted his chin to look into his blue eyes, "Do you remember what I have said about there coming a time when Bon-boto would take you and raise you as his own?"

The little boy nodded that he did, "Is that time now, momma?"

"Yes, little one. I have left you a book that he will read to you until you can read it yourself. I will always be near you, so you must not give in to fear or anger." She brushed back his hair again.

"Will my father come to find me, Momma, as you said?" He said wide eyed, trying to be brave.

"Yes, but he will not harm you." she said kissing his forehead, "Go and play, my son. Have a good life, and remember I will never be far from you."

"I love you too, Momma. Be one wif da Force." he gave fay a sloppy little boy kiss on the cheek and did as he was told, returning to the games the other children were still playing.

Fay turned away from the scene quickly. The Force had asked much of her in her long life, but nothing so hard as what she did now. She had faced armies to bring peace without a single weapon and she would rather do that a thousand times again than to leave behind her son. Yet, in obedience, she found herself moving to her ship knowing only two things. She knew that she would die and that her sacrifice would save millions of lives, now and in the future. Fay would not change that, not even for the love of her son. It was her final gift to the Force and the final lesson her flesh needed to learn, to love with all that you are but to hold onto nothing.

111

Fay approached the Jedi huddled together on the volcanic planet of Quetya. Some of the Masters she had encountered on her travels, as they were more nomadic than the ones who strictly served the council. "Masters." she said as she approached. They turned to her, the youngest of them, the one who appeared to be leading openly gasped and took a knee, "Master Fay, my master Qui Gon spoke of you."

"Stand, young Master, and tell me why the Force has drawn me here." She nodded in greeting to the other masters.

"I am Obi-wan Kenobi, Master Fay." He said introducing himself, and then went on to explain that the separistist army had developed a chemical weapon that would kill millions, if they did not obtain the antidote in the factory.

Fay looked at him as he explained the problem and the plan to infiltrate the chemical factory to find the antidote. Another Master, Ven'nari, openly berated Kenobi for not arriving earlier to the planet. "We are wasting time, and I am needed elsewhere! Let us make haste!" The Bothan Jedi growled and moved away from the group to prepare their attack.

Fay saw the pain in Kenobi's eyes, the depth of the losses he had already endured. He was nearly hopeless. She approached him with a gentle smile, and placed her hand on his forehead, "Be at peace young master." She whispered, giving of herself to fill him with hope and energy. He had a long journey ahead of him, and a lot of life yet to endure, she hoped her gift would give him the strength he needed to complete his life's mission. "I will be at your side, Master Kenobi, lead on."

Lava exploded in a cascade to the left of them, and the other Masters moved toward the ancient bounty hunter causing the chaos. Fay threw up a shield around Kenobi and herself, "Press on, Master Kenobi, the others will deal with him." she reached out with the Force, "There is another here, one who is trying to escape under the distraction of the bounty hunter." She motioned for Kenobi to follow her deeper into the factory.

Kenobi frowned, "There are no battle droids."

"You sound disappointed." Fay said with a smile.

"I won't get to show off my skill in front of you, Master Fay."

Fay laughed, "I think you'll have ample opportunity."

Just then an explosion rocked the factory, and Fay felt the other Jedi one, by one, fall. She pointed out Ventress, "She's escaping with the antidote."

"What can we do?"

"This." Fay reached out her hands and metal scraps raised from the ground flying at Ventress, knocking her to the ground and dragging her back to them.

Ventress saw the woman that dared pull her back and focused her force around the blond's heart, attempting to crush it.

Fay sighed, "You are no Jedi, girl. You are bile and anger stitched together with hate. But not even you are beyond redemption." She cleared Ventress's mind of all the pain in her life and filled her with the hope of the light. Ventress screamed and then fainted. "Gather the antidote, Master Kenobi."

"What did you do?" Kenobi asked running to gather the pack.

"I gave her...hope."

Another explosion sent Obi-won hurdling backward, and turned Fay's attention to the bounty hunter, Durge. She squeezed her hand, bending the metal that surrounded his gigantic body, freezing him in place, but the time it took to stop him gave Ventress an opening. Lighting both of her sabers she impaled Fay to the hilt into her chest, "I will have your heart one way or another." Turning her sabers off she let Fay fall to the ground and walked over to where Obi-won was hanging by his fingers over a river of lava. "Next time, Kenobi, I will kill you against my master's orders or not." She kicked dirt into Kenobi's face as she turned to leave.

Obi-won was hanging on by one hand and gripped the antidote in the other. He was losing strength. He was either going to lose the antidote or die, or perhaps both. Closing his eyes and tried to figure some way out of this with both his life and the antidote. Just then he felt Fay's presence above him, "I have you." She said and grabbed his arm and shirt dragging him up and away from the lava. The ground sunk in that moment, leaving them both trapped.

"You cannot make the jump to safety with the pack." Fay said gauging his remaining strength and the Force required to make the giant leap. She turned to him and smiled, "But with my strength, you can."

"Master Fay, NO!" Kenobi cried out, seeing that her chest wounds were already healing, that she could make it, but then she touched him. For one beautiful moment, Obi-won Kenobi felt the true power of the lightside of the Force. For a split second, he knew all the hidden things and saw the universe in perfect harmony.

"Too late, it's already...done." She laid back on the rock ground, closed her eyes, "At last, at last, I rejoin our brothers and sisters."

Kenobi stood, shouldering the pack, and picking up the fallen Fay. Barely needing to flex his legs he leapt to the high ground and then ran for his ship. He was the only Jedi to live, and Fay's sacrifice already haunted him.

888

Palpatine was eating at a state dinner making casual conversation with Senator Amidalla, about the trade embargos proposed against a neutral planet they had discovered aiding seperatist interests. Taking a sip of his wine, he suddenly choked violently spraying the wine and blood running from his nose onto the table before him. He stood abruptly, but fell back into his chair.

Senator Amidalla and a guard rushed to his aid, "Chancellor." Amidalla called out to him, taking her napkin and wiping away the wine and blood, "Someone get a medical droid." she pleaded as she shook him gently, calling out to him.

A medical droid and team entered, lifting the unconscious chancellor into a medical pod ushering him out with great haste.

888

Kenobi had given his report to the council, who tried to assuage him that because of her sacrifice millions would live. It happened as she would have wanted. Still, Kenobi felt the better Jedi to have lived would have been Master Fay. He went to the temple, where she was laying in state before the funeral, to say his goodbye. At the gate of the temple he saw Chancellor Palpatine. "Chancellor?"

"Ah, Master Kenobi." He said, in the best faux cheerful way he could manage.

"I was told you were at the medical center."

He nodded, "I was, a dreadful assassination attempt. Poison." he lied, it wasn't poison at all. The truth was Fay's death had struck him through the Force, " When I heard that Master Fay had died, I wished to pay respects."

The memory came to Kenobi that the first time he met the chancellor had been on a mission to rescue him from a planet where Master Fay had saved his life. "Of course, but the temple will not open to the public until the funeral tomorrow at nightfall."

"I know, I was just hopeful to be able to say a private goodbye. Without her, I'd have died." He gave Kenobi an almost pitiful look.

"Come, follow me." Kenobi wasn't above bending the rules, just a little, and for this he could think of no reason not to grant the chancellor this kindness.

"Oh thank you, Master Kenobi." Palpatine said following him. "What happened?"

"She saved my life twice. In doing so, she lost focus on Ventress, who she had pinned down and unconscious. Ventress came to and impaled her on her lightsaber blades." Kenobi paused trying not to get emotional.

"That's when she was killed?"

Obi-won scoffed, "No, Chancellor, she survived that, and would have recovered. By the time she got to my position I saw that her wounds were healing. We were stuck at the bottom of a large chasm, surrounded by lava. The only way to get to safety was to make a jump, one I wasn't strong enough to make on my own with the antidote pack. I begged her not to do it, Chancellor, but she surrendered all of the strength she had so I could make it out." His normally smooth voice cracked, "She died so millions could live."

Palpatine was frowning, "That was so very much like her." He said, remembering that she has warned him that things of his own creation would be her death. She was not wrong.

"It's my fault Chancellor. Had she not gotten distracted by saving me from the bounty hunter, Ventress wouldn't have stabbed her in the back. Had I not fallen, we'd both have made the jump."

"There, there my boy." Palpatine, said thinly, trying to find a way to manipulate this to his advantage, but seeing her body laying in state on the altar even he couldn't do anything but go silent. "May I have, just a few minutes?

"Of course, I will be just outside." Kenobi avoided looking at her body and bowed out of the room.

Palpatine walked over and stood beside her prone form. Even in death, she looked vital and alive. He could see where she had been stabbed, and also where the stab wounds were healing. She had the secrets of life.

"Don't tell me YOU are grieving me, young man." a voice from the other side of the room spoke.

Palpatine stepped backward, unable to hide his shock. "Fay…"

A white light took form before him, translucent but very much her, "Of course. I do think I told you that I'd be with you always." she reached out her hand touching his face and he jumped back.

"How can this be?"

She smiled looking at her body which vanished as she did.

"Master Kenobi!" Palpatine cried out, "Her body has vanished!"

Kenobi entered with Yoda who spoke first, "One with the Force she has become. Powerful and old she was. A sign it is, when vanish the body does. More powerful now she is." He giggled strangely, "Her destiny complete it was. Saved millions she has." he nodded and continued on his way through the funeral court.

Kenobi followed Yoda leaving palpatine alone with the pile of clothes on the altar. He looked down and saw the button on a string laying where it would have been on her neck. Snatching it up he stalked out of the temple to his private car. Tapping on his communication the holoimage of Dooku appeared before him.

"Yes, my master," Dooku said on bended knee.

"I want you to kill Ventress."

"Master?" Dooku said daring to look up, "But she has become a useful tool."

"Yes, a little too powerful as well. Do you dare question my order?"

He bowed his head, "No, Master, y-your will be done."


	7. Ghost kisses

The end of the Clone war….

Darth Sideous had stood, now disfigured to all, proclaiming the Jedi had attempted to kill him which left him deeply scarred. He had crowned himself Emperor and now, standing alone in his private chamber, listened through the Force as the lights were snuffed out, one by one. It was music to him.

"You've only made them more powerful, young man." Fay said softly, appearing behind him in a glow of gentle white.

He rounded on her, his face in full view. She had shown herself to him several times over the course of the war, but rarely spoke until tonight. "Master Fay." he approached her, "Have you come to beg for the lives of your brothers and sisters?"

"No." She said with a soft sad smile, "I've come to be with you in what seems to be your hour of triumph."

His yellow eyes narrowed, "Now you see me as I truly am." he spread his arms out theatrically.

"You always have and always will look the same to me, in my eyes, Sheev." She reached out and touched his face.

When he felt her hand, with the same heat, the same feel of the Force licking at him with desire, but even more power than when she was alive he startled.

"I know you think you've gotten what you want, but I'm afraid you will find you've only created a very elaborate and boring prison for yourself, and death still looms for you...as I believe you once said ages ago."

His jaws clenched, "I thought you'd come to see me in my triumph, Fay."

"A good and devoted mate always does tell her beloved the truth. You aren't used to that, those you keep around you say only what you want to hear. In time, even they will fade out of fear for what you are becoming."

"This is something you never understood, I don't care. I care only for gaining power, and reigning immortal over my empire. They are all just a means to an end, as you would have been had you joined me. As you WERE." he hissed.

"Ah, yes, the book you gave your Master. The one that drove him mad, made him a recluse. His experiments inadvertently created the boy you call apprentice now. You see through a mirror darkly, Sheev." she approached him again, "But if you join me, you will see clearly. If you surrender to the will of the Force."

Sideous laughed, "I have told that lie before."

"I cannot lie, Sheev. Join me, and we both will be as we should. I would not harm you. It is not in my nature." She held out her hand to him, and he refused to take it.

It was then the door of his chamber opened and his protege and lover, Sly entered, "Master," she began, and he looked at her, then back to where Fay had been. She was gone, but her scent lingered in the air like perfume.

888

Just after the first Death Star was destroyed.

Palpatine turned away from the chastised Vader in his throne. Once his apprentice was gone he dismissed everyone else in the room until he was completely alone. He was full of rage and yet looked completely still as he focused the power of his rage into one effort.

"This is a first." Fay said softly from behind him, 'You have called for me."

The dark man stood from his throne and approached her. Reaching out he attempted to touch her cheek, but his hand passed through her. "How is it you can touch me but I cannot touch you."

"You can touch me, if I allow it."

He reached his hand up a second time and touched her face. It was as warm and soft as it had been in life. "What is it like, coming here and being as I see you now?"

"It is disorienting, as you it feels as you are unplugging from pure ecstasy, falling into a specific point in a long string of time, and regaining some sense of self. As before you are one and many, and then you become one in yourself." She answered honestly, leaning into his hand so he felt the lick of silver and white strands of the force pulling at him in want that he should join them.

He listened to her every word, studying her face committing it to memory, "Is there something like this for me, for Sith?"

She shook her head no. "All who do not accept the will of the Force as their own, scatter into the universal Force, never to form as themselves again, but to one day return to the personal force as what we see here as alive. Sith spend their existence bending the Force to their will, and as that is how they live, they can never become one with the Force."

He dropped his hand, and considered her words, "You claim you are bonded to me, and I see enough evidence of this to believe you...so when I die what will happen to you.'

Fay smiled, "That will be up to you and how you choose to die."

"You appear to already know the outcome." He said stalking around her.

"When you are truly one with the Force you exist outside of time, past, present, future...It's all the same to me. Think of how you see visions of the future, only with much greater clarity."

He shook his head, "Then you truly have become more powerful. Why haven't other Jedi ghosts come to claim revenge or change the tide of this existance?"

"As I said, we are one with the will of the Force. If the Force does not will it, then we do not do it. The Force cares nothing for revenge, nor does it see that outcomes require changing. Though, others do reach out to people they have connections with, to aid them in times of need."

"You are here. Being here is the will of the Force?" Palpatine asked once again approaching her.

"Very much so." she said tilting her head, "All these years later and you are finally asking the right questions. When you called to me, I felt your pain and rage. I see the Empire has a loose thread that some are pulling at to unravel the whole. You fear you are losing all you have gained…" She stared directly at him, "And since you have become a recluse, much like your Master before you, other than it being an affront to your ego, you question if it is a bad thing to let go."

His wizened lips pursed, "You know I do not love you." He said looking up into her eyes.

"Of course, you keep people who you need, but I dare say my love of you is what you need."

Palpatine's realization that even for all his power, he was still human frustrated him. He had grown used to her presence in his existence, and even in her current state found a measure of something he did not have words for in knowing she was never far.

She took him in her arms, "All of the people you trusted died and your apprentice fails you, even as he seeks a way to end your life. The cycle of the Sith continues. I told you long ago, that you were creating an elaborate prison for yourself, and so you have."

He closed his eyes basking in the feel of the raw power of the Force through her. It licked at him, pining as it always did when he touched her. "Why have you never been repelled by me? Why do I feel the unbridled desire for me?"

"I have always seen a bigger picture, Sheev. Remember the story I told you long ago. I should not be praised for my purity for I am simply what I am as a tree is what it is. I fought your evil as you fight my good. We are playing our parts so that others may come and fulfill their parts as well."

He had been a fool until now. He had a creature in his arms that could help him, and already had helped him learn about the dynamics of the afterlife and the Force itself, "If I am playing my part, if my darkness is needed then why do I feel the desire of the Force through you to come to submit to it?"

"Because, it does not wish you to be lost, Sheev." She held him tighter, "It is hard to explain, but I have seen other realities. In several, you are a good man, a powerful man, a force for healing in the galaxy. You are emperor and grand master of the Jedi order, and that Jedi order is true. You bring balance."

Palpatine did not hesitate, "If I am as you say am I how do I bring balance without destroying?"

She pulled away, "Evil is easy and cheap. You've been to the bottom of Coruscant, you know how worthless a life is there. If you were struck down today, tomorrow there would be a half dozen warlords taking your place, fighting for control. The cycle would continue. There will always be darkness, always be people trying to bend things to their very specific will, just as you have."

He listened intently to her words, she made some valid points. Not that he planned on changing his path, but he saw more clearly than before his place in this universal struggle. "In this other universe, do you love me?" It seemed like a sentimental question on the surface, but he had a much deeper reasoning for asking.

"In the other universe, you love me and I am your adversary."

"I would like to see this universe." he said hinting that she might show him this.

Fay laughed, "You'd want to bring the other me back with you, and then we would fight to the death. The ancient Sith Darth Bane knew this, he saw that more than two of you could not focus on a common goal without stepping on each other's throats. In truth, more than one of you cannot do that. You waited until your master was at a weakness and killed him, even as your apprentice does the same." She closed her eyes, "One day, if you have the courage to submit to the Force, you will know all and see all. Until then, you must live here and now."

He returned to his throne to sit and contemplate the new knowledge, absently he said, "Our son has a wife."

"A beautiful woman with a kind heart. A good partner for him. Soon they will give us a grandchild." she said beaming with pride. "You have a measure of immortality already, Sheev. Your line lives on, just as Skywalker."

"That is not enough for me, Fay."

"I know." she replied with a peaceful sigh, "I know." with the last breath she vanished from the throne room, leaving Sidious to this thoughts and plans.


	8. In the end

The end of the Clone war….

Darth Sideous had stood, now disfigured to all, proclaiming the Jedi had attempted to kill him which left him deeply scarred. He had crowned himself Emperor and now, standing alone in his private chamber, listened through the Force as the lights were snuffed out, one by one. It was music to him.

"You've only made them more powerful, young man." Fay said softly, appearing behind him in a glow of gentle white.

He rounded on her, his face in full view. She had shown herself to him several times over the course of the war, but rarely spoke until tonight. "Master Fay." he approached her, "Have you come to beg for the lives of your brothers and sisters?"

"No." She said with a soft sad smile, "I've come to be with you in what seems to be your hour of triumph."

His yellow eyes narrowed, "Now you see me as I truly am." he spread his arms out theatrically.

"You always have and always will look the same to me, in my eyes, Sheev." She reached out and touched his face.

When he felt her hand, with the same heat, the same feel of the Force licking at him with desire, but even more power than when she was alive he startled.

"I know you think you've gotten what you want, but I'm afraid you will find you've only created a very elaborate and boring prison for yourself, and death still looms for you...as I believe you once said ages ago."

His jaws clenched, "I thought you'd come to see me in my triumph, Fay."

"A good and devoted mate always does tell her beloved the truth. You aren't used to that, those you keep around you say only what you want to hear. In time, even they will fade out of fear for what you are becoming."

"This is something you never understood, I don't care. I care only for gaining power, and reigning immortal over my empire. They are all just a means to an end, as you would have been had you joined me. As you WERE." he hissed.

"Ah, yes, the book you gave your Master. The one that drove him mad, made him a recluse. His experiments inadvertently created the boy you call apprentice now. You see through a mirror darkly, Sheev." she approached him again, "But if you join me, you will see clearly. If you surrender to the will of the Force."

Sideous laughed, "I have told that lie before."

"I cannot lie, Sheev. Join me, and we both will be as we should. I would not harm you. It is not in my nature." She held out her hand to him, and he refused to take it.

It was then the door of his chamber opened and his protege and lover, Sly entered, "Master," she began, and he looked at her, then back to where Fay had been. She was gone, but her scent lingered in the air like perfume.

888

Just after the first Death Star was destroyed.

Palpatine turned away from the chastised Vader in his throne. Once his apprentice was gone he dismissed everyone else in the room until he was completely alone. He was full of rage and yet looked completely still as he focused the power of his rage into one effort.

"This is a first." Fay said softly from behind him, 'You have called for me."

The dark man stood from his throne and approached her. Reaching out he attempted to touch her cheek, but his hand passed through her. "How is it you can touch me but I cannot touch you."

"You can touch me, if I allow it."

He reached his hand up a second time and touched her face. It was as warm and soft as it had been in life. "What is it like, coming here and being as I see you now?"

"It is disorienting, as you it feels as you are unplugging from pure ecstasy, falling into a specific point in a long string of time, and regaining some sense of self. As before you are one and many, and then you become one in yourself." She answered honestly, leaning into his hand so he felt the lick of silver and white strands of the force pulling at him in want that he should join them.

He listened to her every word, studying her face committing it to memory, "Is there something like this for me, for Sith?"

She shook her head no. "All who do not accept the will of the Force as their own, scatter into the universal Force, never to form as themselves again, but to one day return to the personal force as what we see here as alive. Sith spend their existence bending the Force to their will, and as that is how they live, they can never become one with the Force."

He dropped his hand, and considered her words, "You claim you are bonded to me, and I see enough evidence of this to believe you...so when I die what will happen to you.'

Fay smiled, "That will be up to you and how you choose to die."

"You appear to already know the outcome." He said stalking around her.

"When you are truly one with the Force you exist outside of time, past, present, future...It's all the same to me. Think of how you see visions of the future, only with much greater clarity."

He shook his head, "Then you truly have become more powerful. Why haven't other Jedi ghosts come to claim revenge or change the tide of this existance?"

"As I said, we are one with the will of the Force. If the Force does not will it, then we do not do it. The Force cares nothing for revenge, nor does it see that outcomes require changing. Though, others do reach out to people they have connections with, to aid them in times of need."

"You are here. Being here is the will of the Force?" Palpatine asked once again approaching her.

"Very much so." she said tilting her head, "All these years later and you are finally asking the right questions. When you called to me, I felt your pain and rage. I see the Empire has a loose thread that some are pulling at to unravel the whole. You fear you are losing all you have gained…" She stared directly at him, "And since you have become a recluse, much like your Master before you, other than it being an affront to your ego, you question if it is a bad thing to let go."

His wizened lips pursed, "You know I do not love you." He said looking up into her eyes.

"Of course, you keep people who you need, but I dare say my love of you is what you need."

Palpatine's realization that even for all his power, he was still human frustrated him. He had grown used to her presence in his existence, and even in her current state found a measure of something he did not have words for in knowing she was never far.

She took him in her arms, "All of the people you trusted died and your apprentice fails you, even as he seeks a way to end your life. The cycle of the Sith continues. I told you long ago, that you were creating an elaborate prison for yourself, and so you have."

He closed his eyes basking in the feel of the raw power of the Force through her. It licked at him, pining as it always did when he touched her. "Why have you never been repelled by me? Why do I feel the unbridled desire for me?"

"I have always seen a bigger picture, Sheev. Remember the story I told you long ago. I should not be praised for my purity for I am simply what I am as a tree is what it is. I fought your evil as you fight my good. We are playing our parts so that others may come and fulfill their parts as well."

He had been a fool until now. He had a creature in his arms that could help him, and already had helped him learn about the dynamics of the afterlife and the Force itself, "If I am playing my part, if my darkness is needed then why do I feel the desire of the Force through you to come to submit to it?"

"Because, it does not wish you to be lost, Sheev." She held him tighter, "It is hard to explain, but I have seen other realities. In several, you are a good man, a powerful man, a force for healing in the galaxy. You are emperor and grand master of the Jedi order, and that Jedi order is true. You bring balance."

Palpatine did not hesitate, "If I am as you say am I how do I bring balance without destroying?"

She pulled away, "Evil is easy and cheap. You've been to the bottom of Coruscant, you know how worthless a life is there. If you were struck down today, tomorrow there would be a half dozen warlords taking your place, fighting for control. The cycle would continue. There will always be darkness, always be people trying to bend things to their very specific will, just as you have."

He listened intently to her words, she made some valid points. Not that he planned on changing his path, but he saw more clearly than before his place in this universal struggle. "In this other universe, do you love me?" It seemed like a sentimental question on the surface, but he had a much deeper reasoning for asking.

"In the other universe, you love me and I am your adversary."

"I would like to see this universe." he said hinting that she might show him this.

Fay laughed, "You'd want to bring the other me back with you, and then we would fight to the death. The ancient Sith Darth Bane knew this, he saw that more than two of you could not focus on a common goal without stepping on each other's throats. In truth, more than one of you cannot do that. You waited until your master was at a weakness and killed him, even as your apprentice does the same." She closed her eyes, "One day, if you have the courage to submit to the Force, you will know all and see all. Until then, you must live here and now."

He returned to his throne to sit and contemplate the new knowledge, absently he said, "Our son has a wife."

"A beautiful woman with a kind heart. A good partner for him. Soon they will give us a grandchild." she said beaming with pride. "You have a measure of immortality already, Sheev. Your line lives on, just as Skywalker."

"That is not enough for me, Fay."

"I know." she replied with a peaceful sigh, "I know." with the last breath she vanished from the throne room, leaving Sidious to this thoughts and plans.


End file.
